Top 50 phrases to get by Italy: Getting around and shopping

💬 Dista comes from distare, so the question literally means "How far is it?" You can reuse quanto the same way in quanto costa? for price.

💬 Quanto costa? literally means "How much does it cost?" For plural things, switch to quanto costano?

💬 Caro changes form to match what you're talking about: troppo caro for a masculine item, troppo cara for a feminine one like borsa.

💬 Più means "more," so più economico is literally "more economical." Change the ending to match the noun: più economica for a feminine item.

🇮🇹 Many places in Italy take cards, but small shops, bars, market stalls, and taxis can still be hit-or-miss. Asking first is normal and can save an awkward moment at the till.

🇮🇹 If someone asks contanti o carta?, they're asking "cash or card?" In small businesses, having a little cash on you is still useful.

🇮🇹 You may need a ricevuta for returns, business expenses, or proof of payment. In casual situations, staff may hand it over without being asked, especially at shops.

💬 Uno becomes un before most masculine nouns: un caffè, un biglietto. Keep uno before words like zaino or specchio: uno zaino, uno specchio.

💬 Watch the double tt in quattro: it's held a little longer than a single t. Double consonants can change the word in Italian, so they matter.

💬 Sei can mean either "six" or "you are." In real life the sentence makes it clear: sei euro is "six euros," but sei pronto is "you're ready."

💬 Watch the double tt in sette: it's pronounced longer than a single t. That length difference is real in Italian, not just spelling.